15 Questions With Chris Nunez

Is there a specific tattoo you would tell a man never to get?

Chris Nunez: Nah, tattooing isn’t like that. As artists, we got tattooed because we wanted to express ourselves, and we’re nobody to tell people what they should and shouldn’t get. So, if we’re not into what they’re getting, we can send ‘em to somebody else. But it doesn’t mean that we have the right to be the judge and jury on someone’s style.

We know you're quite tattooed, but who do you trust to do your own tattoos?

CN: I’ve got tattooed by all the people I look up to. And, you know, now in my new travels I’m going to get a lot more from people I’ve always wanted to get tattooed by. We’re also gonna end up going into the jungle, going into the mountains, going to seek out tribes and showing the world where the so-called “Koi fish tattoo” originated from, and what the real meaning is behind it.

There's a new trend in tattooing, a raised scar tissue in place of an ink tattoo. What do you think about that?

CN: Scarification? That’s not my ballpark! I stick strictly to tattooing, I’m not into that stuff.

What advice can you give to someone who's hesitant to get a tattoo because of the pain?

CN: Um, if it’s the worst pain you’ve ever felt, then you’ve been very sheltered! (laughs). But really, it’s not that bad. And if you want something that bad, you’re going to get it.

What's the most painful part of the body to tattoo?

CN: Wow, there’s a lot: knees, elbows, butt, all those areas where there’s sciatic nerves. Anywhere you have nerves or anywhere over an organ is definitely gonna light you up.

Quick Fact

Chris Nunez is Cuban but grew up in Miami, Florida, and began his tattooing career after starting out as a graffiti artist.

What's your favorite place to tattoo on a woman?

CN: Probably whichever is the curviest area, you know something that will accentuate her body. All women are different, and they all have a different place where maybe something would look better. So, there is no certain end except that you’re tattooing -- it always changes.

Over your career so far, what’s been the most memorable tattoo or experience you've had?

CN: Yeah, there are so many. I’ve had the fortune of tattooing and working in the tattoo business for over 18 years and doing it for a TV show is a whole different ball game, so we’ve seen some sh*t (laughs).

So, besides this new TV show, is tattooing something you want to keep in your future?

CN: You know, I’ll always love tattooing and I’ll always love to do tattoos, things like that. But, you know, for me it’s really funny I found doing and going through the experiences that we just went through, it opened my eyes to an entirely different creative side of me that I didn’t know I had. And maybe that’s where my talent really lies, I don’t know. So, you know, I always said that it’s pointless to ever shut a door when it’s open, you know, and right now there are so many open doors -- it’s awesome.